Rouse, Victorya: - Victorya Rouse was born in Red Wing, Minnesota. She began her teaching career as Peace Corps Volunteer in Eswatini, Africa. Living and traveling in southern Africa she realized that access to education was the key to self-determination. This inspired her to become an English as a Second Language teacher. Currently, she teaches English to high school aged refugees and immigrants in Spokane, Washington and is an adjunct professor for Whitworth University in Spokane, teaching courses on Teaching Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Students. The stories of her students inspired her to write her first published book, Finding Refuge: Real-Life Immigration Stories from Young People.

Victorya also serves on the board of directors for Refugee Connections of Spokane, an organization that serves refugee and immigrant communities and advocates for refugee and immigrant rights. She lives in Cheney, Washington with her husband of 35+ years.